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1 Penny - George V Kookaburra Pattern - Type 3
| Issuer | Commonwealth of Australia |
|---|---|
| Year | 1919 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 4.02 g |
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| Obverse description | Bare-headed left-facing effigy of King George V, modelled by Bertram Mackennal, occupies the centre of the square flan with rounded corners. The king is depicted with a neatly trimmed beard and close-cropped hair, in a style consistent with Mackennal's standard portrait used throughout the reign. The circular legend GEORGE V D.G.BRITT.OMN:REX arcs around the upper portion of the coin, while the date 1919 appears prominently at the base, flanked by small decorative stops. The flat, uncluttered field gives the portrait a bold, modern appearance appropriate to a pattern issue. |
|---|---|
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| Obverse lettering | GEORGE V D.G.BRITT.OMN:REX 1919 (Translation: George V by the Grace of God, King of all the British territories) |
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| Additional information |
In 1919, the Australian government was actively seeking alternatives to the bronze penny — imported copper costs and supply disruptions following the war had made the existing coinage economics uncomfortable. Several pattern designs were commissioned exploring both new compositions and native fauna as subject matter, the kookaburra being one of three or four bird types tested across multiple die iterations. This Type 3 designation distinguishes it from earlier kookaburra pattern strikes of the same year by die characteristics documented in the Peck and Noble references.
None of these patterns advanced to production. Australia retained its bronze penny format until decimalization in 1966.